Tag: International

4 May 2016 | The government has pushed consideration of proposed university reforms, including a 20% cut in funding, out beyond the election, until 1 January 2018. While it has ruled out full fee deregulation, it has released an options paper, to guide a consultation process, canvassing a range of alternative fee measures which would still see substantial fee rises. The 2016 Budget also sees an efficiency dividend of $1.2 billion on legislated dropped but the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program has been cut by $152 million to $553 million over four years. The Office of Learning and Teaching has been abolished, with the resulting $18 million in savings going to TEQSA and the Quality Indicators in Learning and Teaching website. The consultation paper presages changes to FEE-HELP, including dropping the repayment threshold from around $54,000 to something in the range of $40, 000 to $45,000. Over $2.5 billion dollars in unlegislated funding cuts remain on the books….[ MORE]….

4 May 2016 | The federal government has proposed a set of tougher measures to fix the VET FEE-HELP blow-out in a discussion paper released on 29 April. The minister for vocational education and skills senator Scott Ryan said the paper will pave the way for a full redesign of the scheme. The discussion paper catalogues the scale of malpractice by some providers, such as the targeting of low socio-economic status and vulnerable people with inducements to enroll and misleading potential students about their repayment commitments. It proposes a series of measures to improve the integrity of the system including minimum eligibility requirements for VET FEE-HELP, reductions in the lifetime student loan limit, a narrower range of eligible courses, a VET FEE-HELP ombudsman, and payments tied to compliance and student progression….[ READ MORE ]….

4 May 2016 | With international education worth nearly $20 billion to the Australian economy in 2015, the government has provided $12 million in the Budget to fund the National Strategy for International Education 2025 released on 30 April. In three parts, the strategy identifies international educationas one of five “super growth sectors” that will help complete Australia’s transition from a resource-based economy to a modern services and knowledge economy. The strategy aims to help grow the sector by 50% to 720,000 international students by 2025. A separate economic study indicates that international education supports over 130,000 jobs across Australian and delivers substantial indirect benefits to other industries such as tourism and retail….[ READ MORE]….

28 April 2016 | Ivan Brown, who ran one of Australia’s fastest-growing vocational colleges, Phoenix Institute, is being investigated for allegedly forging documents to reap more than $100 million in taxpayer funds. Federal Police search warrants say they have “reasonable grounds for suspecting” Brown, the made false documents or caused them to be made “with the intention to influence the Commonwealth to accept on-line students as genuinely enrolled and participating in training”. Meanwhile a report by the failed company’s administrator claims that the education department owes ACN $253 million for people signed up to courses of study. It also shows that ACN paid its brokers between 15 and 30 % of the value of its courses to the salesmen who recruited students – up to $12,000 per sign up.…[ READ MORE ]…

4 May 2016

As we draw nearer the election, the findings of a recent ANU opinion poll ought to resonate with the politicians, as ANU vice-chancellor Brian Schmidt observes – particularly those given to characterising the “politics of equity” as the “politics of envy” (that being our observation, not Schmidt’s). It is unlikey to though: with the political class, only two polls count – Newspoll and the actual poll on 2 July.

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The ANU School of Politics & International Relations regularly conducts national telephone opinion polls on issues of political and social significance. The latest, the 21st in the series, was on the issue of tax and equity. Should we be worried about governments holding debt? Which areas of spending should have priority, and which can be cut? Should we pay more tax, or less? Is our tax system generally fair?

More Australians favour greater spending on social services than favour reducing taxes. If reducing government debt is the aim, cutting welfare payments is among the least popular options, according to this poll. Australians want more spending directed to health, domestic violence prevention, education, and disability and aged care. They want international companies operating in Australia to pay more tax here, but overall believe our tax system is moderately fair.

On education, around 80% thought the government should spend more money on education, just 2.2% of Australians polled nominated education as “the most important problem” facing Australia today. It ranked thirteen, way behind the economy and jobs (27.2%), just ahead of law and order (1.8) and somewhat ahead of taxation (1.2%) and the budget (1%), although at the levels of granularity involved, these rankings may not be entirely reliable.

Higher education in policy paralysis

What now? asks Gavin Moodie (RMIT) in The Conversation. While across-the-board full fee deregulation has now been dumped by the Coalition, fee deregulation of so-called “flagship courses”, first mooted in the Review of Base Funding in 2011 (with the significant qualification that such fees be capped at plus 50% above what they would otherwise be), looks a hot prospect for a re-elected Coalition government (as does a raising of the cap on other courses by some percentage). That is, of course, still moot: an incoming Labor government would be ostensibly committed to additional public investment in higher education. Whichever side wins will have its hands full, And there’s the likely prospect that whatever the colour of the government, it will not have a majority in the Senate.

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This year’s budget set us back to 2014. In the 2014 budget, the government announced that fees would be deregulated. While this was a toxic political move, it wasn’t toxic enough to be dumped from the 2015 budget, which was another lost year for higher education. While, this year, the government finally ruled out full fee deregulation, it is still contemplating uncapped fees for some courses in its higher education consultation paper. It has also dropped all the worthwhile proposals from 2014, such as extending the demand-driven system to sub-baccalaureate programs..

Salutary lessons from overseas

High caps and deregulated fees

5 May 2016

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As we begin to address again the issues of university funding, the relative student contribution and student loans, it’s salutary to look to overseas experiences. In the England, the Cameron government didn’t fully deregulate fees, it merely tripled them. There are now real questions as to whether students are getting deal (“value fro money”). Meanwhile in the US, home of the $100,000 degree, the affordability of higher education is said to be a “crisis” and is key issue in the forthcoming presidential election campaign, at least from the Democrat side. And we would do well to heed the advice of Swinburne University vice-chancellor Linda Kristjanson

We should be wary of significant changes to the funding model which would detract from the egalitarian quality of Australian higher education.

The crisis of college affordability may not be solvable by the federal government: It has had much less control over tuition than state policies.

The nap pods that popped up recently at the University of California, Berkeley, may be exacerbating a problem they were designed to fix. Intended to help relieve student stress, the egg-like pods cost approximately $100,000 total. A significant student stressor at Cal is rising tuition, and while the pods add up to about $3 per student, paid for in student health fees, the symbolism is galling to students who will graduate with as much debt as the pods cost.

As the editors of The Daily Cal, the university’s student paper, wrote, students aren’t sleep-deprived because of lack of beds but “because of the overwhelming pressures they face.” More naps do nothing for mounting student fees, and the pods appear to ignore deeper structural reasons for student stress: The average Berkeley student leaves the school more than $17,000 in debt (the national average is $29,000, for public and private colleges).

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4 May 2016

A lecture on quantum physics

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During Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit to Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in April 2016, a journalist jokingly asked the Prime Minister to explain quantum computing. He called their bluff with a spot-on explanation.

Canberra Institute to deliver technology courses in India

Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) is to sign a memorandum of understanding with India as part of a push by the ACT government to promote vocational education on the sub-continent.

The ACT Minister for Education and Training Joy Burch has embarked on a tour of India’s education regions to promote the territory’s capability in vocational training and strengthen education ties.

Ms Burch, along with CIT’s Chief Executive Officer Leanne Cover, will meet with major technology company NeST IT, Indian education ministers and training institutions in the Indian education regions of Kerala and Gujarat over a week to discuss training opportunities.

CIT will sign an MOU to develop training into schools and to the adult population in the areas of spatial information and surveying, and forensic science.

“CIT has a wealth of international experience in delivering training in these specialised areas of technology, and these agreements will help meet the training needs of India’s developing economy and be the beginning of a mutually beneficial international partnership,” Ms Burch said.

Students planning class action against Evocca College

One of the largest private training providers Evocca College, is facing a potential class action from hundreds of former students, according to a report by ABC’s consumer affairs unit.

Solicitor Benjamin Kramer said he is preparing to file documents on behalf of former Evocca College students.

He will allege the company breached consumer law by providing sub-standard courses and using unfair marketing tactics to sign up students.

“I’ve been blown away by how many people have been forthcoming with their own experiences and their own claims of how they’ve felt they’ve been wronged by the school,” he told the ABC.

Evocca College chief executive Craig White said the company was surprised to hear of the potential court action and completely rejects the allegations.

“It is not supported by any demand that has been issued to or received by Evocca,” he told the ABC.

Book now for Australian Training Awards

The Australian Training Awards presentation dinner will be held at Princes Wharf No. 1, Hobart, Tasmania on Thursday 19 November.

Tickets can be booked by visiting The Event page of the Australian Training Awards website.

Since 1994, the Australian Training Awards have been the peak, national awards for the vocational education and training sector, recognising individuals, businesses and registered training organisations for their contribution to skilling Australia.

One of the highlights of the upcoming Australian Training Awards (see article above) will be the ‘Excellence in Language, Literacy and Numeracy Practice Award’ where all the finalists are from TAFE. The finalists are:

Lyn Wilson (NSW) – for over 20 years, Lyn has managed the Sydney TAFE – Petersham College Foundation Studies section, historically one of the largest adult basic education units within TAFE NSW. The section is known for its outstanding links with industry and its successful delivery of foundation skills and pre-employment programs.

Leanne Hanson (Queensland) – a language, literacy and numeracy teacher at TAFE Queensland Gold Coast since 2013.Leanne has taught Skills for Education and Employment to primarily disengaged youth through a uniquely inclusive system of learning that has led to a 300% increase in students completing the program.

Liz Birch (Queensland) – has been a language, literacy and numeracy teacher for over 24 years. In the past 15 years with TAFE Queensland Brisbane, Liz has dedicated her working life to assisting migrants successfully overcome cultural and linguistic barriers to integrate into the workforce. Her successful Work Experience Log Book initiative is now being used as a model resource across TAFE Queensland.

TAFE study tour to Singapore and South Korea

TAFEs are invited to take part in a four-day study tour of Singapore and South Korea that will build links between TAFE and industry.

It follows the inaugural 2015 TAFE Study Tour to Asia, which culminated in the report, ‘Vocational training for the Global Economy’, produced by consultants Dandolo Partners, and released at the TDA national conference.

Due to significant interest, the decision has been taken to conduct a similar, but expanded, study tour in 2016, from April 3 – 4.

TDA has provided its support for the initiative, recognising that it will assist in driving deeper linkages between TAFEs and industry. The tour will again be sponsored by SingTel Optus and Cisco.

COAG lays groundwork for Commonwealth takeover of VET

Federal and state leaders have agreed to consider a proposal to shift responsibility for vocational education and training (VET) from the states to the Commonwealth.

Last week’s COAG leaders retreat in Sydney, comprising the Prime Minister, state premiers and chief ministers issued a Communiqué outlining plans to consider a historic change in VET governance.

“Leaders agreed to consider a shift in responsibility for VET to the Commonwealth provided States and Territories could elect to remain TAFE providers within a national system,” the Communiqué said.

At a news conference, South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill said: “We’ve talked about a national approach to vocational education and training, which is a massive change.

“If we can achieve that and give people the skills they need to participate in the new economy, we’ll have done a massive thing for the people of our nation,” he said.

The premiers of Western Australia and Victoria have been tasked with bringing VET reform proposals to the next COAG meeting before the end of the year.

Apprentice completions edge lower

The proportion of trade and non-trade apprentices and trainees completing their training decreased slightly in 2014, down from 53.5% to 52.4%, according to the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER).

Contract completion rates for trade apprentices and trainees who started training in 2010 declined to 46% down from the 2009 completion rate of 47.9%.

Similarly, contract completion rates for non-trade apprentices and trainees who started training in 2010 declined slightly to 55.8%, from the 2009 completion rate of 56.2%. For non-trade apprentices and trainees who started in 2011, the completion rate is 56%.

“We know that historically about a third of all apprentices and trainees leave within the first year of starting their training, and our research shows that the most commonly cited reason for not completing an apprenticeship or traineeship is employment-related, such as not liking the work or not getting along with colleagues or employers”, said Dr Mette Creaser, National Manager, Statistics and Analytics, NCVER.

Business leaders to share their expertise at the TDA national conference

What does it mean in practice to conduct a forensic risk analysis of an organisation’s business model?

What strategies can business use to increase staff capability?

Why would employers want to dine at the TAFE table?

These are just some of the questions that that our conference presenters will tackle at the 2015 national TAFE Directors Australia conference at the Hotel Grand Chancellor, Hobart, 10-11 September, with pre-conference workshops on 9 September.

Victorian international education awards open

The Victorian government has opened nominations for the prestigious Victorian International Education Awards.

The awards recognise innovative education institutions, companies and service providers, as well as the exceptional accomplishments of international students.

For the first time, the awards will feature the ‘Victorian Student of the Year -Internationalisation’ category, highlighting local Victorian students who have actively supported the engagement of international students with the broader Victorian community.

The winner will receive a prize of $5,000 towards their studies and $5,000 towards a practical idea to further foster connections between the domestic and international student communities.

International Student Award winners will receive a scholarship of $10,000 to contribute to their study at an educational institution in Victoria.

21 July 2015 | The Victorian government has released a discussion paper on international education as part of its $200 million Future Industries Fund. The paper covers all three education sectors (higher education, VET and schools). It proposes nine strategic directions, including developing more markets to reduce reliance on the two traditionally big markets of China and India. It also proposes greater international engagement of the schools sector and growing international provision in regional institutions. It notes that the experience that international students have of living in a particular location influences that place’s attractiveness as an education destination and therefore the need to ensure that international students have a positive experience of their study in Victoria. Comment on the paper is open until 17 August….[ MORE ]….

21 July 2015 | The Queensland government has allocated $337.2 million over 4 years for training initiatives in its budget delivered on 15 July. This includes the reintroduction of the reintroduction of the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative. Skilling Queenslanders for Work represents an investment of $240 million over four years to support 32,000 Queenslanders back into work and boost the skills of the Queensland workforce. The budget provides $34.5 million over the next four years to restore TAFE Queensland to as the premier provider of VET in Queensland. Funding will be directed at helping TAFE Queensland deliver foundation courses, increase the number of qualifications available through VET in schools and hire additional teaching and support staff…..[ MORE ]….

16 July 2015 | The Victorian VET Funding Review has released an Issues Paper, ahead of making its final report to the Victorian government, due at the end of August. While it argues that TAFE needs greater support, the Review is operating on the premise that a contestable system will continue and will need to operate within the existing budget. The paper observes that, if properly implemented, contestability has the ability to drive innovation, efficiency and improvement, and empower students and industry to choose their training and provider….[ MORE ]….

A new voice for the Australian TAFE sector – TAFE Chairs Australia – has been established.

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TAFE Chairs Australia is made up of chairpersons (or equivalent) of TAFE from Australian States and Territories. The group comes together with a charter to raise the profile of VET and TAFE, as well as proactively engage on associated national issues.

Speaking at the Victorian TAFE Association State Conference about reform of TAFE in recent years, Warren Tapp, the inaugural chair of the group, said:

TAFE Chairs have an obligation to actively promote the important contribution TAFEs across Australia make to the national economy and growing productivity. There has been significant advancement within the VET sector nationally including new governance arrangements for some TAFEs. These emerging arrangements have given rise to the formation of TAFE Chairs Australia.

He said TAFE Chairs bring a commercial and governance focus from outside government and the VET sector as a key contribution to national discussions about VET and TAFE.

Two of the key architects of the original HECS, Dr Tim Higgins and Professor Bruce Chapman, have produced a new report that argues for significant reform to the income contingent loan scheme that would extend it to more VET students while making it affordable.

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They argue that extending income contingent loans to more VET students is required to ensure equity among tertiary students, but this would require adjustment to the current system otherwise it would not be financially sustainable or equitable. They note that when compared to university graduates, Certificate III and IV completers have low incomes and, for women, low employment outcomes. They propose that, unless government funding for tertiary education is increased, there is a persuasive case for reducing the income repayment threshold, reducing the repayment rate and imposing a uniform loan surcharge across all tertiary students.

21 July 2015

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With the the Prime Minister and the Premiers and First Ministers gathering in Canberra for a retreat on reform options for Australia’s fractitious, if not fractured, Federation, all the chatter is round increasing the rate of the GST from 10% to 15%, either to “compensate” the states/territories for whacking cuts in Commonwealth grants in future years, which has a dark logic to it, or to make way for income tax cuts, which doesn’t seem to have too much logic to it all. But there are other proposals on the table. SA Premier Jay Weatherill, in a speech to the National Press Club, has proposed, among other things, a realignment of Commonwealth and State responsibilities in education.

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He proposes that States and Territories be responsible for the education of people from birth to the end of secondary schooling, and the Federal Government dealing with everything beyond – including higher education and vocational education and training (VET). While the States retain nominal ownership of higher education, the Commonwealth calls the shots throgh its primary funding role and through the Tertiary Education Quality Standards Agency, which regulates the sector. The Commonwealth has an important role in VET, particularly through the Australian Skills Quality Agency, but in funding, the States retain primary responsibility in VET. Similarly, the Commonwealth has an important role in funding schools education, particularly for equity purposes and as a catalyst for reform, but schools remain the province of the States (although the Commonwealth provides the overwhelming proportion of funding for private schools, which would be an issue). There is considerable logic for a transfer of VET to the Commonwealth, to create consistency in funding and policy, and it’s an idea that has been around since at least the “New Federalism” of the early nineties and was actually agreed to in 1991, but fell over when Paul Keating knocked off Bob Hawke as Prime Minister. Perhaps it’s an idea whose time has come, though you’d be right to be cautious of the equity implications of the Commonwealth vacating schools funding, particularly in the absence of some sort of funding settlement around Gonski (a point made by Weatherill). But let’s at least keep the proposal on the table and see where it might lead.

The commentary on The Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey: Selected Findings from Waves 1 to 12 by Roger Wilkins of the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research at The University of Melbourne has been sidetracked by one plausible statistic, neglecting the full import of the Survey.

The Survey confirms the earning value from higher levels of education, particularly for women. It shows that, for women, having a higher education degree is important for the likelihood of employment. That is not so for men who tend to be employed but with lower earnings if not a graduate.

Those outcomes are not necessarily new but since they based on a cohort covering multiple generations they underpin the value from expanding the take up of higher education, a core mission of IRU members.

The new aspect coming from the survey is the hint that school results let alone intelligence are not long term strongly correlated with income. Rather it is the fact of education.

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The One Hundred Stories are a silent presentation. They remember not just the men and women who lost their lives, but also those who returned to Australia, the gassed, the crippled, the insane, all those irreparably damaged by war. The Great War shaped the world as well as the nation. Its memory belongs to us all.

The Victorian government has proposed new avenues to grow the state’s international education sector. It has released a discussion paper on international education as part of its $200 million Future Industries Fund.

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The Victorian Government has identified international education as a growth sector vital to the future economic prosperity of Victoria and a source of future employment for Victorians. This recognises the centrality of international education to this Government’s vision that Victoria becomes the Education State.

International education has stood as Victoria’s largest services export industry for over a decade. In 2013-14, the onshore component of international education generated $4.7 billion in services exports for the State. An estimated 30,000 Victorians are employed by the sector. The outputs of international education are not just skilled graduates. International education offers a platform to assist the Victorian economy and our society to tackle some of the world’s greatest global challenges.

Growing global demand for education services will see over seven million tertiary students studying outside of their country of citizenship by 2020, with demand for education services delivered in offshore settings or through online technologies also rising. By building on our reputation for excellence, quality and innovation, Victoria’s international education sector can capitalise on this demand.

Looking to the future, there are a range of opportunities and challenges facing the sector. The unprecedented modernisation of the economies in Asia is creating huge demand for education services, both onshore and offshore. Many of Victoria’s competitors – the USA, UK and Canada – are investing significant money and effort into attracting a greater share of the ‘Asian education boom’. Victoria’s continued success will depend on its ability to remain at the forefront in delivering a quality education experience.

Future growth and sustainability of the sector will not just come from inbound student programs, but from a more holistic engagement including offshore delivery, digital and online delivery platforms and customised consultancy projects with global partners/governments. To succeed as a global hub for knowledge and international education, support must also involve initiatives that grow two-way student mobility, connecting Victoria and Victorians to the world.

Successive Victorian Governments have supported the international education sector’s development, which has given rise to the strong partnership between government and providers. This will continue as the Andrews’ Government delivers its commitment to position Victoria as the Education State. This means creating a global centre of learning and development excellence, a cohesive education system that relentlessly pursues the best outcomes and opportunities for every learner, regardless of their background or their starting point for learning.

This discussion paper outlines nine strategic directions to guide consultation. Through these nine areas there is a recognition that all parts of the international education ‘value chain’ can benefit from strategic interventions and engagement.

Victoria’s position in international education cannot be taken for granted. International education is a highly dynamic market with fast changing consumer preferences. Victoria’s approach to international education must continue to evolve.

The Commonwealth Government also has an important role to play in supporting Australia’s international education sector. The Victorian Government is working closely to ensure alignment of strategies and future industry plans at the national and state level.

The Future Industries Fund and the development of updated sector strategies will enable Victoria to meet the needs of the inbound student market and increase the capacity of our education institutions to deliver innovative education services offshore and online, in order to fully realise global opportunities.

A number of questions are posed throughout the discussion paper as prompts for your consideration, however we also invite your feedback about the strategic choices Victoria should make now to help set the sector up for continued success, growth and prosperity.

Discussion Paper comments and feedback are requested by 5pm on Monday 17 August 2015.

The following summary of the paper’s suggested strategic directions outline how economic development and job creation in the international education sector could be optimised by supporting the sector to increase its competitiveness.

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Strategic Direction One: A long-term approach to market-development

Victoria’s two biggest markets are China and India, from which almost 50 per cent of onshore international students are drawn. Significant numbers of students are also attracted from South East Asian countries, in particular, Malaysia and Vietnam. This provides a strong base to consolidate Victoria’s standing in the region, while expanding onshore enrolments and offshore education services throughout Asia and beyond.

Reliance on a few markets can however pose risks to the sustainable growth of Victorian international education, making the state vulnerable to ‘shocks’ or downturns that may occur within markets. It is therefore important to encourage diversity in the sector, across student population, courses and providers. This helps to build the resilience of the sector and also facilitates a positive student education experience.

Strategic Direction Two: Supporting the higher education sector

Victoria’s universities and non-university higher education providers have been very effective at developing international student markets. Higher education accounts for about 45 per cent of Victoria’s onshore international student enrolments meaning that the presence of international students is felt across almost all university campuses.

Onshore higher education students come to Victoria to study a diverse range of programs. These include undergraduate courses and postgraduate coursework and research programs that result in the awarding of an Australian qualification. A significant number also come as a part of shorter study abroad and exchange programs, usually credited towards a qualification awarded in their home country.

Currently, international enrolments account for about a third of the total student body across all universities. In recent years there has been growth in the number of postgraduate enrolments in Victoria. This, combined with limited growth in undergraduate enrolments over recent years, means that postgraduate students now account for almost half of international higher education students in Victoria.

Strategic Direction Three: Leading in quality teaching and learning approaches

In the next decade, models of education delivery, teaching and learning will continue to be transformed. This is driven by the need to meet student demands and to continue to create viable delivery models to service a global market. How well Victorian institutions fully embrace and embed offshore and online delivery will be key success factors for the sustainability of the sector. Many Victorian institutions are now thinking more holistically about the integration of onshore, offshore and online teaching and learning approaches to meet student’s needs. There are opportunities and challenges for all sectors.

Vocational education and training in Victoria is provided through technical and further education (TAFE) institutes, adult and community education providers and private providers, as well as some universities. Following changes to Australia’s migration settings in 2010, onshore VET sector exports in Victoria underwent a necessary correction, finally returning to growth in 2013-14, experiencing increases of 8.2 per cent in enrolments and 17.7 per cent in commencements. Overall, the VET sector accounts for 25 per cent of international students in Victoria, with major markets being India and China.

Victoria is the national leader in delivering offshore Australian training qualifications. There are significant opportunities over the coming decade for TAFEs and high-quality private VET providers to increase provision of offshore training. In Asia alone, the key markets are estimated to be worth billions of dollars as countries realise the value of a skilled workforce to their economies and seek large-scale reform and investment in VET.

These offshore opportunities are numerous. They can range from providing advice to foreign governments about how to replicate our industry-led vocational training approach through to partnering with industry, other education institutions and governments to deliver customised training.

Strategic Direction Five: Growing international engagement in the schools sector

The commitment to make Victoria the Education State recognises the integral role of international education as an export for both schools and higher education, as well as the value of internationalising education in our schools.

This strategic direction considers the opportunity to grow international education in the schools sector, recognising the operating environments of both government and non-government schools. In addition to the economic benefit of international students, underlying this discussion is the tenet that internationalising schools will prepare our young people for life and work in an increasingly globalised world, contribute significantly to our economy, and help Victorian business access a workforce they need to compete globally.

Strategic Direction Six: Growing international education in the regions

The Victorian Government is committed to bringing jobs, growth and investment to the regions. A key consideration for the development of a new International Education Action Plan will be the identification of specific measures that promote opportunities for international students to choose to live and study in regional Victoria.

While a large proportion of onshore international students have a preference to study in metropolitan centres, regional providers can offer niche expertise and significant industry expertise in fields of global significance such as food and agriculture, soil and water, energy and resources, and environment. While a focus on these capabilities may support growth in onshore education, it is offshore opportunities that may deliver the biggest opportunities for regional education providers.

Furthermore, many regional centres offer distinctive, community-focussed lifestyle opportunities that may be attractive to particular segments of the schools and tertiary student market. Attracting these types of students, and potentially retaining them to undertake multiple courses of study, may also bolster regional Victoria’s standing as an education exporter. For example, regional senior secondary schools often have strong links with their local university campuses and TAFE institutes. Dedicated pathway programs and transition supports that meet the specific needs of international students could increasingly be a product of these linkages.

Strategic Direction Seven: Enhancing the experience for international students

The experience that international students have of living in a particular location influences that place’s attractiveness as an education destination. ‘Word of mouth’ is an important source of information in the decision making process of potential international students. Sustained focus on experience is therefore crucial to the ongoing strength of Victoria as an education destination.

Activity to improve international students’ experience beyond the classroom can be categorised as either:

addressing issues a student may face during their time in Victoria, particularly relating to a broad range of welfare matters such as accommodation, employment, health services or where students are victims of crime

enhancing what is on offer to students during their stay, including providing a premium-value experience, particularly in relation to career readiness, and improving social connectedness to each other and the local community.

In the Australian context, Victoria is highly regarded for its focus on enhancing student experience. Through collaboration, local, state and federal governments and education institutions have led the way in driving an integrated approach towards maximising the chance that students have a positive time while studying here.

The government’s key contribution is the Study Melbourne Student Centre, a physical access point for all its student-facing initiatives and the location of a team of staff providing information and welfare support to students. It is the only centre of its kind in Australia, and quite likely the world. These types of actions have contributed to Melbourne being assessed by QS Rankings as among the best student cities in the world, second only to Paris.

Strategic Direction Eight: Maximising the secondary benefits of international education

In addition to the direct economic benefits provided by international education, there are a number of important indirect benefits that accrue to Victoria from a thriving international education sector.

There are flow-on benefits to and from the tourism industry through non-leisure visits by students’ friends and family. Graduation ceremonies for example are significant events attracting large numbers of visiting friends and relatives as tourists to the state.

Further, the increasing propensity for individuals to visit Victoria both as a tourist and student means benefits can be derived from positioning Melbourne, Victoria, as an attractive global destination. Many short course English language students enter Australia on tourist visas and later complete higher qualifications under a student visa, extending their stay in Victoria. Currently, around 26 per cent of English language students in Victoria are non-student visa holders, with Japan and Korea accounting for almost two thirds (58 per cent) of this group.

The government recognises that it must work collaboratively in order to support the future success of Victoria’s international education sector. It is clear that a partnership approach with education providers must be the foundation of such an approach. There is an opportunity to build on the existing collaborative efforts that Victorian providers have become well-regarded for in the sector. Equally, ensuring that the student voice is heard and that students are an active participant in cooperative efforts to grow and support the sector, is also fundamental. However, to succeed in the development of international education as a long term future sector for the state, cooperation with other levels of government is paramount. The business community, both locally and internationally, are also important partners in the international education sector.

HECS architects urge change to repayments and extension to VET

Two of the key architects of the original HECS have produced a new report that argues for significant reform to the income contingent loan scheme that would extend it to more VET students while making it affordable.

The report, ‘Feasibility and design of a tertiary education entitlement in Australia: Modelling and costing a universal income contingent loan’, has been prepared by Dr Tim Higgins and Professor Bruce Chapman for the Mitchell Institute.

They argue that extending income contingent loans to more VET students is required to ensure equity among tertiary students.

But they say this would require adjustment to the current system otherwise it would not be financially sustainable or equitable.

“For our exercises it is important to note that when compared to university graduates, Certificate III and IV completers have low incomes and, for women, low employment outcomes,” the report says.

They argue that unless government funding for tertiary education is increased, there is a persuasive case for reducing the income repayment threshold, reducing the repayment rate and imposing a uniform loan surcharge across all tertiary students.

Victoria’s VET review proposes funding shake-up

Victoria’s review of the VET sector has examined ways of preserving government funding for high quality providers, protecting students from rorts, and easing the regulatory burden on low risk providers.

The VET Funding Review is headed by former TDA chair Bruce Mackenzie. Its latest Issues Paper examines ways of better linking training to the needs of industry and supporting the role of TAFE.

“Many felt that the administrative, audit and compliance requirements on providers were both overly burdensome and of limited value, being too focussed on inputs and paper-based checks, rather than concern for the quality of training provided,” the review says.

“TAFEs are at different stages of a transition and structural reform process, and some TAFEs considered that a degree of consolidation would be either necessary or desirable in the medium term to ensure the viability of the TAFE sector.”

It notes “repeated and erratic funding changes” by government, largely in response to poor provider behaviour.

“However, a number of stakeholders likened government’s response to the ‘whack-a-mole’ game, where the latest example of undesirable behaviour is ‘whacked’ by the government, only for other undesirable behaviour to pop up elsewhere.”

Minister Birmingham flags growth in China partnerships

The Minister for Skills and Training, Senator Simon Birmingham, has actively promoted the expansion of Australian China partnerships in delivering vocational education and training.

Last week the minister led a delegation of Australian VET representatives to China, which included TDA Deputy Chair Dianne Murray.

The minister announced a number of initiatives including cooperation between ASQA and CEAIE in ensuring the quality of joint provision as well as greater opportunities for cooperation through the Australia China Free Trade Agreement.

The minister also singled out Box Hill Institute of TAFE’s partnership with the Shanghai Pharmaceutical School as a “brilliant example of Australian international vocational education”.

TAFE institutes across Australia have led the development of joint programs in China with almost 50,000 students currently studying Australian qualifications through these partnerships.

Minister sees Sydney TAFE’s Korea polytechnic project

The Minister for Skills and Training, Senator Simon Birmingham was welcomed last Friday by Sydney TAFE Institute Director David Riordan as he visited Korea Polytechnic (KOPO).

Sydney TAFE has negotiated with KOPO to deliver competency based training for over 1,000 of its current teachers over the next three years.

KOPO is the only comprehensive technical vocational education and training college in Korea, with 46 years of history. It has been backed by the Korean government’s financial support since the vocational training law was enacted in 1967.

It moved to competency based training two years ago and is now looking to upskill 1,500 staff over the next three years.

The minister met the first group of trainees as they commenced their training program, which includes further training and assessment in Sydney. Minister Birmingham also hosted an industry forum and reception in Seoul.

Victoria releases international student growth strategy

The Victorian government has proposed new avenues to grow the state’s international education sector.

It has released a discussion paper on international education as part of its $200 million Future Industries Fund.

It says the VET sector accounts for 25% of international students in Victoria, with major markets being India and China.

“The nature of global demand for training and the recent resurgence of key competitors like the United Kingdom and Germany means that Victoria’s VET offering must become increasingly nimble and targeted,” it says.

“In many instances this may mean delivering customised training products and skills sets which, while not leading to a qualification, draw on VET providers’ experience in delivering Australian training package qualifications.”

Findings of three-year vocations project to be outlined at Sydney, Melbourne seminars

Is there a new way of thinking about vocational pathways from school and VET into the labour market?

Are narrow qualifications with limited employment outcomes still relevant?

Two LH Martin Institute seminars (Sydney, Thursday 23 July and Melbourne, Wednesday 29 July) are the outcome of the three-year Vocations project, which proposes a fundamental change in the way post-compulsory education is structured as a pathway to work.

The last week saw some further developments in the on-going debate in vocational education and training.

ACPET appeared at the Senate Inquiry into the operation, regulation and funding of private vocational educational and training providers in Australia.

The inquiry focussed on issues in the sector including suggested inadequate regulation, the role and regulation of brokers and the performance of RTOs. We took the opportunity to explain the real difference private providers do make in the sector and how a quality provider can deliver a high end product to the benefit of students and industry.

ACPET will continue to advocate strongly in these types of inquiries to ensure politics and bias do not get in the way of a genuine policy debate, and to try and ensure a balanced approach to public policy. A big thanks to Neil Shilbury and Martin Powell for their help in the session, and also to Amjad Khanche of the Australian Institute of Professional Education for his submission and appearance. Amjad’s explanation of the tremendous support strategies given to students, as their College’s point of difference was particularly compelling, as was his description of the difference between a Mercedes and Toyota in describing education choices! Well done!

The week also saw the release of the Victorian Government’s Funding Review. An interesting read indeed.

It is important to note that this is an issues paper and not government policy. That may explain some of the views in the document, however there is a real opportunity to now focus on the consultation questions in the paper, which perhaps give an insight into possible directions. We will certainly be scrutinising the paper closely and will respond to the questions with the view to influencing the final direction. We remain steadfastly committed to supporting reputable providers to deliver quality vocational education and training. More red tape and bureaucracy will not help outcomes. However, strategic market design, monitoring and risk based regulation will…. Read more

Group Registration Register Now to save! Every sixth Registration Free. Five conference participants from the same organisation must register (at the same time and the same registration type) for the group registration. Global perspectives on education and learning at APIEF Learn why Sushil Ra… Read more

Training gets a lift on MySkills website

The MySkills website which provides a national directory or training organisations and courses has been updated with information for vocational educational and training (VET) students.

The update includes:

courses linked to skills in demand in each state and territory

student satisfaction and employment outcomes for the 230 most popular courses

a VET FEE-HELP loan calculator

identification of sanctioned training providers

a modernised, tablet-optimised homepage design

The Assistant Minister for Education and Training Senator Simon Birmingham sais the new features would allow students to search and compare VET courses and training providers.

“With more than 4,500 training providers delivering more than 65,000 courses across Australia, MySkillsprovides a one-stop-shop for students on the valuable careers pathways that VET training opens up,” Senator Birmingham said.

Time for donors and graduates to give to TAFE

It is time for TAFEs to strongly assert their need for significant support from philanthropists and graduates, in much the same way as universities solicit and use funds to benefit students and the community, according to Malcolm White, Acting CEO of TDA.

In an opinion piece in today’s Sydney Morning Herald, Mr White says that unlike universities and schools, there is not a strong tradition whereby TAFE graduates acknowledge publically, in voice or financial support, the institutions that were pivotal to their success.

“Yet the evidence of personal student success in vocational education is as strong as in higher education,” he says.

“Money donated to universities is applied to scholarships, infrastructure, research and support of academic excellence. It comes from former students and the public through donations and bequests, from corporations and private or public ancillary foundations.

“No TAFE institute in Australia receives even a fraction of this level of philanthropic support, and this needs to change.

“Governments provide funding for many of TAFE’s services and infrastructure, yet the need exceeds the funding.

“The need for alumni, the public, industry, employers and philanthropic trusts to support TAFE is just as great as for universities, and the value delivered will be just as high.”

Earlybird registration for TDA national conference in Hobart closes this Thursday 16 July

TDA members registering before 16 July can save $418 on a full registration including the Welcome Reception at MONA and the “Taste of Tasmania’ Conference Dinner. Non-members will save $110 by registering before midnight AEST on Thursday 16 July.

To register now visit www.tda.edu.au and click on the conference banner.

Hotel Bookings are also selling fast!

Due to a very large conference on immediately before the TDA Conference, hotel rooms are extremely limited on Wednesday 9 September. Early bookings are ESSENTIAL if you wish to stay at the Hotel Grand Chancellor or one of the surrounding hotels such as the Woolstore Apartments and Zero Davey.

If you wish to arrive a day early on Tuesday 8 September, limited rooms are available at a very small number of hotels and these will sell out soon. Hotel bookings can be made when registering for the conference.

TDA’s international manager back from UNESCO

TDA welcomes back International Manager, Jessica Davis, from her secondment to UNESCO-UNEVOC’s International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Bonn, Germany.

Jess was the lucky recipient of a 2015 Australian Government Endeavour Executive Fellowship, which supported her to undertake this professional development experience.

During her secondment, Jess worked on a range of projects and activities to support TDA’s role as a UNEVOC Cluster Coordinating Centre in the Asia and Pacific Region.

Jess’ program focussed on generating greater engagement with UNEVOC Centres in the Pacific Islands cluster through targeted research in the areas of Green Skills and through exploring possibilities for capacity development programmes in the region.

Jess had the opportunity to meet with representatives from German UNEVOC Centres, including BIBB and GIZ, and also travelled to Paris to meet with TVET specialists from UNESCO headquarters.

TDA members are welcome to contact Jess to discuss opportunities to work with the UNEVOC network, particularly in the Pacific region.

Jessica Davis, at far left, with an Egyptian TVET delegation and UNEVOC head office staff.

Consultation open on international education legislation

The federal government has released exposure drafts of the Bills that will streamline international education.

The Education Services for Overseas Students Amendment (Streamlining Regulation) Bill 2015, and the Education Services for Overseas Students (Registration Charges) Amendment (Streamlining Regulation) Bill 2015 are available for consultation.

The proposed improvements to the ESOS framework include:

reducing complexity by streamlining quality assurance processes

reducing reporting requirements

The Minister for Education and Training, Christopher Pyne said the proposals in the Bills simplify and streamline the regulation of international education and follow extensive consultations with stakeholders.

Queensland budget to boost training funding

The Queensland government will inject $750 million into the VET sector in this week’s state budget.

Foreshadowing the package, the government announced measures including:

$243 million for apprenticeships and traineeships under User Choice

$231.6 million for the Certificate 3 Guarantee

$60 million for the Higher Level Skills program for more advanced training in priority areas, including construction, business, hospitality, retail, aged care, security and transport and distribution

$160 million to support the “rebuilding” the TAFE system.

South Australian Premier says VET should be handed to the Commonwealth

The South Australian government has proposed handing responsibility for VET to the Commonwealth under a wide-ranging reform proposal for federal-state relations.

Speaking at the National Press Club, Premier Jay Weatherill outlined a plan to hand all work-related training to the Commonwealth.

“It essentially involves the States and Territories handling the education of people from birth to the end of secondary schooling, and the Federal Government dealing with everything beyond – including higher education and vocational education and training,” he said.

“Put another way, it would be a new demarcation of responsibilities – the States responsible for the development and education of people, and the Commonwealth responsible for their work and welfare.”

Industry skills fund advisers announced

Chisholm Institute is one of six organisations announced today that will make up the new Industry Skills Fund Skills Adviser Network.

The $664 million Industry Skills Fund will provide industry grants for training as well as expert advice through skills advisory services.

In addition to Chisholm Institute, the other organisations that make up the Industry Skills Fund Skills Adviser Network are:

Australian Industry Group

MAX Solutions

Navitas Professional

Communications and Information Technology Training

QMI Solutions

Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Senator Simon Birmingham, said the new network will invest $43 million over the next three years to provide intensive support to businesses that are looking to grow and develop their workforce.

“Beginning with 83 ISF Skills Advisers from 1 July 2015, the network will expand to 99 Advisers in 2017-18,” he said.

Sniping over South Australia’s international education plan

The South Australian state Budget has allocated $5.7 million over four years for a Destination Adelaide campaign to market South Australia to international students.

Minister for Tourism Leon Bignell said more than 30,000 international students are enrolled across the state, with the sector is worth an estimated $972 million a year.

“This funding injection will help market Adelaide as the preeminent destination for education and create ongoing tourism and trade opportunities,” Mr Bignell said.

However, federal Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Senator Simon Birmingham said the initiative was undermined by the state’s new “anti-student-choice policy” which gives a preference to TAFE ahead of private colleges.

“Labor’s disastrous WorkReady scheme means that from 1 July, only 10% of new subsidised training places will be allocated to non-government providers,” he said.

“Without a strong domestic market many quality training providers won’t be around to capitalise on this new international education campaign,” he said.

Streamlined visas for international students

The federal government has announced a simplified international student visa framework (SSVF) to support Australia’s education sector.

The changes will reduce the number of student visa subclasses from eight to two, and see a simplified single immigration risk framework for all international students.

The Minister for Education and Training, Christopher Pyne and the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Senator Michaelia Cash said the SSVF will replace both the Streamlined Visa Processing (SVP) arrangements and the current Assessment Level Framework and will apply to all international students.

It will lay out a student’s financial and English language evidentiary requirements based on two things: the immigration profile of the student’s country of citizenship and of their education provider.

“The SSVF will support the growth of the international education sector by enhancing both competitiveness and integrity while extending streamlined processing to all education sectors and all course types,” Minister Cash said.

Warning over inducements for training courses

The West Australian government has warned of “door-knockers” targeting remote communities with incentives to sign up to training courses.

Acting Consumer Protection Commissioner David Hillyard said people in regional and remote communities have been offered free laptops if they agree to undertake courses.

“Generally, those who accepted the proposal did not receive paperwork in exchange making it very difficult for the local police or Consumer Protection to ascertain if the men are representing a training provider or if they are scammers,” he said.

Since April VET FEE-HELP training providers have been banned from offering enrolment inducements to students.

Research shows new approach to link training to jobs

Reform of training qualifications could provide workers with stronger capabilities, enabling them to adapt more quickly to a changing labour market and help reduce persistent skills mismatch, according to new research.

The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) says that many graduates do not end up in jobs directly related to their qualifications.

The study examines the notion of ‘vocational streams’ and whether more transferable skills would help people adapt to changing labour market conditions.

The study, Linking qualifications and the labour market through capabilities and vocational streams is the final report from a three year program tested with four industries – agriculture, community services and health care, electrical trades and engineering, and financial services.

“We found that support for vocational streams varied greatly between the four sectors”, says co-researcher Dr John Buchanan from the University of Sydney.

New $15 million centre for the Kimberley

New state-of-the-art training facilities have been opened at Kimberley Training Institute’s (KTI’s) Broome campus.

The $15 million trades training workshop will allow qualifications to be delivered in engineering, automotive, construction and, for the first time, civil construction.

It will also enable the Institute to open the facility to engineering apprentices by the end of the year.

WA Training and Workforce Development Minister Liza Harvey said the facilities include an industry-standard trades training centre and a world-class maritime simulation centre.

“The new trades training workshop more than doubles the previously available training space to meet growing industry needs, while the maritime simulation centre adds further value and amenity to the Institute’s already first-rate simulation equipment.”

The new maritime simulation centre recreates the control consoles of tug boats and bulk carriers, with 180-degree digital recreations of the ocean and port infrastructure.

New tourism and hospitality centre for William Angliss

William Angliss Institute has been given $4.5 million in funding from the Victorian government to develop skills for the tourism and hospitality industries.

The Minister for Training and Skills, Steve Herbert said the funding includes $2.7 million for a regional tourism employability initiative which will provide skilled staff for regional destinations.

A second grant of $1.7 million will allow the institute to launch Melbourne’s first International Hotel School to train the next generation of hotel management professionals.

William Angliss Chief Executive Officer Nicholas Hunt said the Regional Tourism Employability project will see the Institute partnering with regional TAFEs to provide cost-effective tourism and hospitality training in regional areas.

“Students will be able to continue living in the regions, while gaining the practical skills and specialist knowledge they need to drive regional hospitality and tourism to a more competitive level,” he said.

NSW ministers turn first sod at TAFE Western campus

NSW Deputy Premier Troy Grant and Minister for Skills John Barilaro have turned the first sod at the new Western NSW TAFE redevelopment at Mudgee.

The $6 million project will allow new services for students including administration, skills development, and learning resources, as well as dedicated spaces for interactive learning and social gatherings.

Earlier this year the project was awarded a 5-Star rating by the Green Building Council of Australia, representing excellence in environmentally sustainable design.

Canada study mission to examine community colleges

The visit to Toronto and Ottawa will examine the Canadian community colleges’ applied research model.

There will be the chance to meet institutional leaders in community college to learn from their expertise, as well as with key government agencies that support the funding of applied research in the community colleges, and participate in joint workshops and symposia.